garlic

al·li·um

(al'ē-ŭm),

Allium sativum (family Liliaceae), its bulb contains up to 0.9% of volatile irritating oil with antiseptic action; has been used as a diaphoretic, diuretic, and expectorant.

Synonym(s): garlic

[L.]

A culinary and medicinal perennial plant that contains amino acids and volatile oils (e.g., allicin and vitamins A, B and C) and owes its aroma to the high content of selenium, which is eliminated through the lungs and skin as dimethyl selenide
Chinese medicine Chinese chive, da suan Garlic is used in traditional Chinese medicine as an antimicrobial and general tonic, and for colds, cough, diarrhoea, gastrontestinal complaints, parasites, rheumatic disease, shellfish poisoning, tuberculosis, tumours and vaginitis, as well as to increase internal secretions, and topically for athlete’s foot, fungal and parasitic infections. See Chinese herbal medicine
Herbal medicine In Western herbal medicine, garlic is used internally for atherosclerosis, colds, coughs, flu, gastrointestinal complaints, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, liver and gallbladder disease and as an anthelmintic; as with Chinese herbal medicine, it is used topically for athlete’s foot, fungal and parasitic infections and as a rubefacient. See Herbal medicine

gar·lic

(gahr'lik)

A herbal product promoted for treatment of vascular disease, dyslipidemias, and hypertension.

Patient discussion about garlic

Q. Is garlic helpful in heart ailments? I have heard that garlic is very good for cardiac health and using in curries or cooked with foods will be helpful. I have also heard that it has anti-inflammatory substances and also helps in weight loss. Is garlic helpful in heart ailments?

A. It acts as antioxidant and reduces the amount of free radicals in your body. It’s helpful once taken raw. But the raw garlic can cause bad breadth and blistering of skin and diarrhea. So, there should be a reduced intake of raw garlic. It’s better to have garlic in a cooked up form like in curries or with vegetables. This will also give the desired benefits of garlic and the side effect of over consumption of garlic will also be reduced.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jOrw1eB-uc&eurl=http://www.imedix.com/health_community/vng-A24JmWJY_iceland_heart_protection_formula?q=heart&feature=player_embedded